


Frail

by Firelily13



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Brief Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts, Curse Mark, Dark Thoughts, Gen, I was in a weird head space when I wrote this, Pre-Chuunin Exams, Trauma, this is probably the darkest thing I've written
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:53:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24156925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firelily13/pseuds/Firelily13
Summary: Anko has been dealing with the curse mark for a long time, always on her own. But she's not alone anymore.
Kudos: 13





	Frail

**Author's Note:**

> Another fic I wrote for promptober 2019. Was meant to be a character study of sorts but it became angst very quickly and this is the result.

She hated it.

The curse mark on her shoulder throbbed, sending pain radiating throughout her body, her mind momentarily going blank. The curse mark, Orochimaru, all of it. She wished it would all just disappear. She thought about it sometimes, wandering out into the Forest of Death and letting herself be consumed by whatever manner of beasts found her.

Would anyone really notice?

She had to wonder.

The mark pulsed with pain once more, forcing the woman to her knees. She gasped, struggling for air, a sudden cold settling deep into her bones. It was always like this, a strange contradiction between the white-hot pain of the mark, and the frigid cold that settled into her bones once the pain faded. It was like being plunged into an ice bath after having your body incinerated.

She fell onto her side, a strangled sob escaping her throat. The mark was becoming more unstable. She couldn’t be bothered to care though. She was too tired, too frail to be concerned with the tedious hows and whys of the curse mark.

Anko, crawled to her bed, standing shakily before collapsing onto the mattress. She struggled to lift her hips far enough to pull the blankets from underneath her. She eventually gave up, falling limply, body shivering uncontrollably. Her breathing came out in ragged gasps, and her vision became blurry from the searing pain.

She didn’t have enough hate, not enough lust for power. That’s what he had said before leaving her alone, barely breathing. She almost died; she should have died. But she didn’t remember that either. Though if she were being honest, death would have been preferable. Maybe then she wouldn’t feel so helpless, so weak. It was like being submerged under water everything felt heavy, noise seemed to echo in odd ways, and she was cold so incredibly cold.

“Anko?”

“I-ruka? What…”

A warm hand touched her forehead, “You’re freezing. Genma find some blankets.”

Genma returned a few moments later with an armful of heavy blankets.

“It’s been a while since you’ve been this bad Anko,” Kotetsu mused sitting on the edge of the bed, Izumo taking a spot next to him.

“How…” She choked.

“You didn’t show up for your shift at the mission desk. We looked everywhere but no one had seen you. Luckily Iruka had a key to your apartment,” Genma answered, trying his best to mask the worry in his voice.

“I-m so cold,” she whispered, pulling her legs towards her stomach as another shock of pain radiated from the curse mark.

“You’ll warm up here in a bit,” Izumo said placing a hand on Anko’s ankle.

“Just get some sleep. That curse mark drains a lot of chakra,” Genma said placing another blanket over a still shivering Anko.

“We’ll be here when you wake up,” Iruka continued.

Anko’s eyes fluttered closed, “Thanks guys…but next time…maybe knock first.”


End file.
